Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, today visited Nazirabad on Wednesday after obtaining court permission and made a series of explosive allegations.
Responding to a journalist’s query on whether body parts were being smuggled out, Adhikari claimed that remains were being trafficked “packed like fruit consignments”
At least 21 human body parts, including three charred bodies, have been recovered from inside the gutted jute warehouse at Anandapur till Thursday afternoon, even as many remain missing, deepening concerns over the scale of the tragedy. The recovered remains were transported in two sacks to the Katapukur morgue, where post-mortem examinations are underway. Families of the missing have lodged missing diaries, while 16 body parts have so far been sent for autopsy. Post-mortem examinations of five bodies have been completed, according to official sources.
Experts involved in the process have pointed out that identification is proving extremely challenging as many of the newly recovered remains have been reduced to charcoal-like ash, making DNA testing difficult. Authorities are attempting identification through blood samples wherever possible. Mr Adhikary further alleged that the actual death toll could be between 35 and 40.
Four days after the devastating fire, Adhikari questioned why Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had not visited the site, alleging political discrimination. “Most of the victims are from Midnapur. We have tried to stand by the families without seeking credit. Unfortunately, since this is not the Chief Minister’s vote bank, rajdharma has not been followed,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister’s residence is barely 10 km from the site and she should have visited.
Though the Chief Minister has not gone to the spot even three days after the incident, she addressed the tragedy from a public meeting in Singur, announcing compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each deceased’s family and a civic job for one family member. She also said she directed two ministers, Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas to visit the site and be at ground zero.
Administrative sources confirmed that body parts are being sent to Katapukur morgue in bags. While bodies recovered in relatively intact condition have been tentatively identified, remains found later are largely reduced to ash. The fire broke out shortly after 1 a.m. on Sunday at the twin warehouses in Anandapur. Twelve fire tenders battled the blaze for over one and a half days, even as the warehouses continued to smoulder. The structures have been reduced to rubble, under which fire and police personnel continue to search for signs of life, though officials admit the chances of finding survivors are bleak.